Should We Ask To Have Our Expired Comp Points To Be Reinstated?

Since we live on the East Coast, we haven't been to Las Vegas in over a year and are not sure when we can go back. Many casinos have already expired our points and comps that we have banked. Is there any point to asking nicely to be reinstated?

[Editor's Note: Perhaps the gambling writer best versed in these kinds of players club questions in none other than our Frugal Jean Scott. Yes, she moved to Georgia early last year, but in case you've missed it, she recently took an excursion to Harrah's Cherokee casino in North Carolina, so she still her hand in with the casino game. Here's her response.]

If you've read any of my writings for the last 20+ years, perhaps you remember my long-time mantra: “Just ask.” And I always say, "Ask nicely." Never demand.

If you follow those two common-sense rules, it will never hurt to ask. You won’t lose anything, even if you get a negative answer. And it's surprising how often you will get what you ask for – or at least some information to help you to get more of what you want in the future.

I can’t tell you which casinos will or won't help you with expired points. Like with so many of these issues, each casino or casino company sets its own policies. However, I can give you some hints on how you might go about seeing if there is some way to mitigate any loss that you might sustain.

Actually, I just went through this process myself when we decided to “unretire” and take advantage of a good mail offer from Harrah’s Cherokee, the closest “good” casino to our new Georgia home and one we'd enjoyed visiting in the past. I listed some of the steps I took in preparing for this visit in the first part of the long trip report in my blog, Frugal Vegas.

One of the first things I did was visit the CZR website. There, I was pleased to find that our tier level hadn't dropped, although we hadn't played for almost two years. Caesars simply extended everyone’s tier level and unused tier benefits a whole year; they certainly weren't unaware that how many of their players club members hadn't wanted to visit a casino during the pandemic.

I also found at that they'd extended the reward credits' (those are separate from tier credits) expiration time, which is usually 6 months. That extension, however, lasted only through December 2020.

Fortunately, that didn't affect us, since we'd used ours up on our last visit. We'd learned from past experience never to leave a large balance of unused casino benefits. Of course, no one ever thought a pandemic would change all our lives, but there are other possible problems: ill health or accidents, casinos closing, or changing owners, or revamping their players club system, to name just two. Even CZR had this note on its website: We understand that it is difficult for some members to visit one of our properties every six months; as such, we encourage these members to use their Reward Credits during their stay, so that they do not run the risk of losing them.

Your next step would be to talk to a casino employee, someone in management who might have the authority to modify casino policy. That might be a players club manager you could ask for when you call the club, but a host would be the better choice. Of course, it is better if you have a host with whom you already have a relationship, but in most casinos, you can call or ask in person for “someone from the host office.” Obviously, the higher the level of your past play, the better chance you'll have to achieve more positive results.

Perhaps if the host can't give you back your points, you could “nicely wonder” if you could get an extra comped meal your next visit. And if you have a history of strong play, you might even be offered some extra room comps. Hosts are more likely to be able to make up for lost comps than for expired cash points.

For future reference, try not to leave a balance in any of your casino accounts. But if you're unexpectedly coming close to an expiration point, check the casino websites for alternative ways to keep them current. Some casinos, like CZR and MGM, offer affinity credit cards that earn points, keeping your account current if you make a few purchases on the cards. Some have partner affiliations or retail spend options that will also do that.

Good luck in your “asking.”

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Comments

Kevin Lewis Apr-29-2021

Your mileage may vary

As my Vegas visits have always been sporadic (even pre-pandemic), I've often dealt with not having visited a given casino in several months and upon returning, finding out that I've been kicked down to Dirt or Tin from my prior Diamond-Studded Platinum With Oak Leaf Cluster status. My general experience has been that I can get reinstated to my former level but my comps/points---sorry, Charlie, they're history. But I agree with Jean's oft-stated mantra: "It never hurts to ask."

Well, almost never. A friend of mine recently dropped in at the Silver Sea Slug and asked very nicely if he could be reinstated from his current level of Bottom Feeder to his former level of Neptune. The boothling shot him. He made a full recovery, though.

Apr-29-2021

Orleans

When I visited in March I went into the Casino Host office at the Orleans and the person there said there was nothing they could do. Because I stayed there I got a survey when I returned home and I asked why they would wipe out comp balances during this unique time period when we were told not to travel. I received a reply from someone and they reinstated my comp balance!

full_monte_carlo Apr-29-2021

also shot down

At Boyd, because I hadn't visited in over a year. (We booked 3 trips last year and had to cancel/reschedule all three of them. I work in Healthcare and they for a while they banned employees from travel to dangerous areas w/o 2 additional weeks off to quaratine SMH Anyway I lost my higher status and Boyd slot club said there was nothing they could do about it.

O2bnVegas Apr-29-2021

What Jean said

Hosts can and will do something, e.g. add some Free Play or food credit to your account when you come in next, if you work it right.  Book your next trip with your Host, or any Host if you don't have one.

When you book your visit they'll ask "is there anything else I can do for you", say "YES! Before the pandemic hit we had two comped nights, $200 in Free Play and $100 in food credits, and my tier was silver.  Is it possible to have some of this added to this visit?"

Don't go into being afraid to travel, anything like that.  Just that you've been prevented from getting there due to the pandemic and lost your tier and comps as a result. 

Candy

O2bnVegas Apr-29-2021

What Michael said

I'm a big believer in those surveys.  For the OP, if you go ahead with a visit, and talked to someone about what you lost but got no satisfaction, do the survey.  Concerns get attention from management.  Don't sugar coat anything.

In the section where it asks "Did you have a problem during your stay?"
 - Click YES
 - Was it resolved? Click NO
 - Describe the problem in a text box.  "Before this visit we were regulars, Tier was XXX, had offers for three comped nights, $200 in Free Play, $100 in Food Credits.  Due to the pandemic we've been prevented from traveling.  Now we came back but are told we've lost all that including our Tier status.  Did ask xxxx but was told nothing can be restored. Very disappointing."

Don't go into being afraid to travel, waiting on vaccines, etc.  Just that you "were prevented from traveling."  Good luck.

Candy

Kevin Lewis Apr-29-2021

It's springtime, and the Boyds are singing

Definitely, the squeaky wheel gets the comps. So I agree with Candy--squeak!

As I talk to people, I hear more and more that Boyd has mutated to being utterly hard-ass about everything, as full-monte-carlo reported. I also got a curt and unceremonious refusal to be restored back to Sapphire. Their bottom tier means you don't even earn any points! (What you earn only counts toward getting up to the next tier's ABILITY to earn points that count for something.)

Since I can't use naughty words, I'll just say that my current position is that we should all engage in violent sex with Boyd Casinos. And not gamble or stay there.

[email protected] Apr-29-2021

points

AFTER ABOUT A YEAR WENT BY FROM THIS PANDEMIC I DECIDED TO CHECK ON MY CASINO ACCOUNTS,AND I FOUND MY CARD WAS DOWN A LEVEL SO I SENT MESSAGES TO THEM LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THE REASON OF ME NOT BEING THERE WAS DUE TO THE COVID 19.I'M NOT SURE ALL OF THE ONES I AM INVOLVED IN CONTINUALLLY HAVE REINSTATED MY LEVEL,BUT I DIDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT MY POINTS,SO I'LL HAVE TO CHECK THAT,BUT YEA IF YOU ASK NICE AND EXPLAIN YOUR SITUATION THEY USUALLY WORK WITH YOU

Gregory Apr-29-2021

More Boyd

I read on another board about how Boyd sent this guy a note that his points would not be lost because of the pandemic.  The guy is one of thier coveted Hawaiian customers.  As I am not Hawaiian, I didn't get anything.  In fact I am now at 0 credits and 0 points.  I plan on keeping it that way.  That's a crappy way of doing business.

Eileen Apr-29-2021

CZR reward credits

Kept my Caesars Reward Credits by periodically completing a Say and Play survey ([email protected]). By completing you get a minimum of 5 reward credits which extends your 6-mo. expiration date from the time you get credit for the survey.  You can complete surveys more often but there may be a limit to how many you can earn in a specific period. Not sure about that.

dblund Apr-29-2021

Why??

The logic of expiring points after 6 months is totally escaping me.  If the idea of of the players clubs and earning points is to draw players and encourage them to return, then what is the sense in taking them back so quickly when a player doesn't or can't return within a half a year?  I'd consider that 6 month gap a nice signal to Marketing to make contact, but instead they are alienating a sizeable percentage of their previous customers who not only visited, but took the time and effort to sign up.  If they feel the need to clear out the stagnant liabilities from their books after 2 or 3 years, it is understandable.  For myself, I used to visit station casinos regularly, but when I learned I was in danger of losing my points I came back just long enough to burn those points on some nights and a few meals, and no longer make it a point to get to any of their properties when in town.  They demonstrated how much they value my play. The Loyalty in these programs has to work both ways.

AyeCarambaPoker Apr-30-2021

Compare casinos to airlines

It’s at times like these that we find out how much corporations care about their customers or even just value their business. 

I’ve never held better than the base level status at any of the LV casinos because, as my name suggests, I’m only a poker player. I assume my pittance of comps have expired and I won’t waste my breathe even asking tbh. 

I do have the “god-level” highest status on an airline network due to my flying history (generally 2 or 3 transatlantic returns per month pre Covid) and they’ve told me that they’ll extend my status indefinitely until things get back to normal. 

I know this effectively costs them nothing (if I’m not flying then I can’t use status) but guess which company is first to get my business when I can travel again.

Deke Castleman May-02-2021

This in via email

Luckily, I have several friends in Las Vegas who are happy to put a few points on my card when I’m unable to visit within the required period to avoid losing points. This almost never happens, but it’s nice that they have my back when it does, like during COVID.

NeonGlo May-05-2021

Boyd loves us

Our Boyd story is different. A few weeks ago I was able to book 5 comp nights for July 4th week by searching the site calendar while signed in. We had lost our points (not been there since Feb 2020) but retained Sapphire level, somehow. Maybe it held while I had a reservation (later canceled) for Dec 2020? We've never had a host, we've been 2x/yr regulars for 4-5 yrs. Or maybe my mama loses a lot more than I imagine!

Question of the Day - 29 April 2021

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